I received the latest installment to my Dokken collection today. Under Lock & Key is Dokken's third album, and despite natural commercialization, a very good listen. Unlike Cinderella, whose later albums lost impact for this fan, Dokken's commercialization has only seemed to improve their music. It was good before, but the polished sound on Under Lock & Key is more appealing to the ear. Intact, too, are the themes that inspired the earlier tunes: dark/light contrasts, the things that go on at night, failed love. I think it is perhaps these themes that save Dokken (in this album anyway) from falling victim to vanilla. The music, lyrics and themes are all of the same power as the early Dokken material. Read my review of Dokken: Under Lock & Key at epinions.com >

Why am I reconstituting my music collection from my teenage years? Why am I bothering to purchase the CDs rather than download them from Limewire or other peer-to-peer networks? Well, I did download some of the music from Limewire, but that's illegal. No gray areas about that. All artists of all sorts deserve to be financially rewarded for the enjoyment they deliver to us by their art. I don't want to work for free. Why should they? Copyright laws have been created to protect everyone's rights for their unique creation, whether book, story, article, review, song, painting, software, design of all sorts, and etc. And, quite frankly, I want my favorite artists, authors, software developers and publishers to continue creating the material I enjoy and use, so I can continue to enjoy and use their new material. So for all the music I have downloaded from Limewire, which isn't all that much, I am purchasing the original CDs to comply with copyright laws and pay the artists for their labors. Maybe Dokken will release another CD this year or next and it will be as good as Hell to Pay. Maybe Giuffria will decide to reunite for another CD, since their CDs from the 80s are so hard to acquire here in the states. Maybe Cinderella will release another great album like Night Songs.

In the past week, I've received some more CDs to reconsitute my CD collection. Many of these fine albums I had on cassette or vinyl (do you know vinyl?). I am reviewing them on epinions.com as time allows. They're not ALL 80's metal. One is 80's synth-pop...or so I gather. I've not been one to categorize my music. I just like it and that as they say is that. Among the CDs that I've received in the post are Dokken: Yesterday & Today, Berlin: Pleasure Victim, Cinderella: Long Cold Winter and Giuffria: Silk + Steel. I've long known that I'm affected by particular themes in film, and I think the same is true of music. I cannot stand much of today's music. It's either much too commercial, much too offensive or simply doesn't "speak" to me or my experience. To find out why I like these albums I've received, check out my reviews on epinions.com!

As I'm reconstituting my music collection, I'm rediscovering bands I've not listened to in a long time. Many of these bands still move me today as they moved me in the 80's. Cinderella is one of these bands. I recently bought their album Night Songs from Apple's iTunes for a mere $5.99. As I've done with a couple Dokken albums, I've also written a review of Cinderella's Night Songs. IMHO, it is classic metal that endures. Like Dokken's early recordings, Night Songs is bold. Unlike tunes from the likes of AC/DC (for whom I've never been much of a fan), Cinderella's songs are Jungian, reaching into our collective psyche and expressing themes as valid today as they were in the 80's. I wouldn't call today's uncertain times hopeful or the people around me optimistic, particularly after September 11. Everyone's just getting by and enjoying their lives as best they can. Myself included. Read my review of Cinderella's Night Songs.

Before I won my iPod, I didn't much listen to anything but the radio. I had a few CDs, but never listened to them. I didn't have a CD player in my car. So I didn't listen to them. For convenience, it was the radio. Then I found the perfect solution to listen to my iPod while I worked at my Small Home Office (corner, really), since I hadn't had much luck with FM Transmitters with my iPod in my vehicles and don't care for headphones. I came across the iHome iPod Alarm Clock and asked to review it for MacNN. But MacNN didn't come through with a product to review, so my wife bought one for me for Christmas. (Thanks, Lynette!)

Though I had a couple people tell me the iHome wasn't very good, I beg to differ with them. It's a great, well-built accessory and I absolutely couldn't do without mine now that I've had it just a month. Just as I couldn't do without my iPod. If you own an iPod and an alarm clock, dispense with the old alarm clock. Check out my review of the iHome iPod Alarm Clock at epinions.com!

I won an iPod from Pennzoil at the SEMA show in Las Vegas in 2004. They gave away an iPod mini every half hour or hour, I don't remember which. Up to 4 random attendees could play the oil trivia game. I was quite possibly the least-knowledgable contestant on the panel. I had been in the tire/auto business for all of 6 months (full-time). I was previously a graphic/web designer for a large company which included Koch Oil Company. Thankfully, the trivia questions were mostly about recognition and marketing, not about mechanical things. My brother was on the panel. He's been doing automotive work nearly all his life, having started at my father's truck stop in Elwood, Kansas. I was sure I'd lose by no small margin.

But..question by question, I was one step behind the leader. Just one step. Just a fraction of a second. My brother was dead last. The last question came up...I answered it just seconds ahead of the leader...and won the iPod! Incredible! My brother was shocked! He would have given me the iPod anyway if he had won it, I think, since he's not into Apple or Macs or computers at all.

Now, I own a fabulous iPod Mini. :)

As I'm cruisin' through YourMusic.com's selections, and looking on eBay for a better deal (always have to wach the bottom line), I came across a band I'd long forgotten but whose music I once owned: Giuffria! Seems that band's CDs are long out of print, so they're kinda pricey at $20-$30 a pop. They only released 2 CDs (self-titled Giuffria and Silk & Steel), but I recall at least two of their songs, both power ballads. Do you remember Giuffria? How 'bout "Call to the Heart" and "I Must Be Dreaming", the two songs I remember? Did you know the lead singer, David Glen Eisley, had a partial new song (never completed apparently) featured in a Spongebob Squarepants episode in 2004 or 2005? I didn't either. But I found out today that he did. Some of the band members went on to found another band called House of Lords, too. Those CDs are hard to find as well. You never think about these things that have passed until one day...

I'm showing my age. I graduated high school in 1986, and I listened to the heavy metal bands of that era. For years since I listened to whatever played on the radio. Now I find myself interested again in the bands of my teen years. I have joined YourMusic.com and filled my qeue for 2 years worth of classic heavy metal. YourMusic.com's selection is narrow, but at $5.99/CD with free shipping, that deal can't be beat, even on eBay! My first new Dokken CD in 20 years arrived in the mail a month ago: Hell to Pay (2004). I recently posted my review of it at epinions.com. I'm one of just a person or two who has reviewed that CD. While I was at it, I also reviewed Tooth & Nail, the Dokken classic from 1984. Are you a Dokken fan?

I just turned in my review of RapidWeaver 3.2 for MacCompanion.com. I am new to RapidWeaver, but I've used it to redesign my freelance web site. Built on a template system, templates that can be selected or copied and altered to create new ones, RapidWeaver makes general web publishing and maintenance as simple as it has ever been. The image quality isn't at a professional level, but RapidWeaver makes it incredibly easy to get a web site up quickly. v3.5 will be available in about 60 days as a free upgrade to 3.2 owners. It appears to be a worthy upgrade. Best of all: RapidWeaver is easy to use for everyone on the Macintosh. Read my review and then go buy it if you want a web site. Then host your site with me. I'll give you some kind of discount if you mention this blog entry. I'm flexible. :)